About 103 shops were destroyed in a fire that engulfed the perishable items section of Central Market, Gusau.
Although the cause remains unconfirmed, a firefighter linked the incident to an electrical surge after power restoration.
The fire started at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday and raged until 2:00 a.m. Monday, despite firefighting efforts.
Both federal and Zamfara State fire services responded, although the state fire service was reportedly delayed.
Alhaji Inusa Saminu, Chairman of the Perishable Items Sellers Association, described the fire as devastating.
“We have counted 103 completely destroyed shops; losses run into millions of naira,” Saminu said during a phone interview.
He criticized the state fire service’s late response, blaming grounded vehicles and inadequate equipment for the escalation.
“There’s a fire station nearby, but their only vehicle has been grounded for months, rendering them ineffective,” he lamented.
Saminu revealed that even the headquarters had to borrow a battery before responding, with the vehicle later breaking down.
“This is the sixth market fire in Zamfara State. The government must provide functional vehicles and firefighting equipment,” he urged.
He also appealed for government assistance for traders who lost all their goods in the fire disaster.
A firefighter, speaking anonymously, admitted that equipment shortages delayed their response, worsening the damage caused.
“Our station vehicle is grounded, and despite leadership awareness, nothing has been done to address this issue,” he said.
He added that only the Gada Biyu fire station and federal fire service could respond due to their operational capacity.
When contacted, Alhaji Jibo Dauran, Zamfara State Fire Service Director, declined comments, citing the absence of the Executive Secretary.
The Executive Secretary, the only official authorized to comment, is reportedly out of town for medical reasons.
